The Formula Renault 3.5 grid guide

A new Formula Renault 3.5 era kicks off at Aragon this weekend. Glenn Freeman is your guide to the likely contenders

With a revamped car, Formula Renault 3.5 is boasting arguably the strongest driver line-up in its history, as the faster machine and favourable budget compared to GP2 has attracted drivers from all over the junior single-seater spectrum.

Far from being a place for those who can't make the cut on the Formula 1 support bill, the headline act on the World Series by Renault package is brimming with race winners from serious junior championships. Frontrunning names from Formula 3, Formula Renault, GP3 and, remarkably, even GP2 make up the bulk of the grid, with a leading lights from last year's championship hoping to step out of the shadows now Robert Wickens and Jean-Eric Vergne have moved on.